Flatiron support



/ Oct. 11, 1938.

IN VENTOR ATTORNEY F. ELLINGER FLATIRON SUPPORT Filed April 29, 1.937

Patented Oct. 11, 1938 v v 2,132,611 I FLATIRON SUPPORT 7 Flora Ellinger, Milwaukee, Wis. Application'April 29, 1937, Serial No. 139,680

- UNITED STATE 2 Claims. (01. 38-42) This invention relates-to improvements in flat iron supports. 4

The ordinary flatiron for use in the ironing of laundry or for pressing garments is maintained'in a-relativelyihot condition and is moved backtand forth over the] garments. When the user' is called away from the work temporarily to answer a door bell or telephone, for instance, according to present practice it is necessary to remove the iron from the work and to position it on asupport or rest. This procedure is often neglected with the result that during the temporary absence of the operator, if the iron is not properly disposed of, it will burn, scorch or ignite inflammable material or garments in juxtaposition thereto.

To guard against this undesirable contingency, the present invention provides a flat iron supporting apparatus which, by a simple manipulation, will elevate and hold the iron in a suspended condition away from and out of contact with the ironing board and garments or articles. thereon, whereby the hazard of fire, or damage to the clothing is entirely eliminated eventhough the iron be forgotten and neglected for an indefinite period. A further objecti'of the invention is to provide a fiat iron supporting apparatus which will permit the iron to be normally disposed on the ironing boardfor movement'or propulsion thereover in any direction without any interference or restrictions. j

A further object of the invention is to provide a flat iron supporting apparatuswhich can be 5,manipulated to hold the iron in an elevated position and which can be swung to hold the iron in a desired elevated position remote from the board or work and in a position where the op erator is not apt to acoidentally'bump the iron "40 and to beburned thereby.

. A further object of the invention is to provide a flat iron support which permits the operator to save time and movements and eliminates excessive iron lifting, as, by a simple foot 45 manipulation the iron may be elevated free of the work without the necessity of placing it by hand on a stand,"whereby both of the operator's hands are free for adjusting or smoothing out the work. I A further object of the invention is toprovide a flat iron supporting apparatus which may be detachably associated with any conventional or standard form of ironing board or table and which may be arranged so as to occupy a mini- 55 mum amount of space.

A further object fPATENTLO-FF C a flat iron sup-port which may bereadily applied A further object of the iron and which will not inand full use and manipulainvention is to provide a flat iron support which is of very simple construction,

whichis strong and durable, which is easily manipulated and controlled, and which is well adapted for the purposes set forth.

With the above and other objects in View, the

port and invention consists of the improved flat iron supits parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and allequivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a side view of an ironing board with the improved supporting apparatus shown associated with the board and applied to a flatiron;

' Fig. 2 is an enlarged, tional View taken on Fig, 3 is a plan view of the showing in Fig. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view, section, indicated by line fragmentary detail secline 2-2 of Fig. 1;

partly in 4-4 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 5 is a front end view of the flat iron on a larger scale,

and showing the bracket for receiving the cable of the supporting apparatus. Referring now more particularly to the drawing,

it will appear that the numeral 8 designates of ironing table or board flat horizontal board 9 supported by suitable legs l0 and braces II. The upper surface of the board 9 is adapted to have garments or articles to be ironed or pressed positioned flatly The numeral thereon in the usual manner. I2 designates a flat iron which may be of any of the conventional types provided with the usual handle l3. The iron illustrated is an electric iron adapted to be heated by resistance units therein to which current is supplied by circuit wires i4 connected with any convenient source of supply as a socket or outfrom the handle IS The top of the flat iron has secured transversely of the iron, a This stirrup is of such size to be sufficiently removed so as to permit convenient grasping of the handle by the user and free operation and move ment of the flat iron. The with an eyelet I] to which one end of an elongated cord or cable I8 is secured.

a tripodal support in which the elements l9 of the invention is to provide and I9 thereof are downwardly, outwardly divergent. The lower ends of the elements l9 and I9 are provided with fiat foot portions 20.

The elements [9 and I9 are convergent at their upper ends and are secured to a'plate 2| having a pair of spaced arms or flanges 22. The outer end of each of the arms 22 is provided with a threaded aperture 23 through which is adjustably extended the shank portion of an externally threaded clamping bolt 24. The plate 2| is further provided with a vertical upwardly extending sleeve 25 which revolubly encloses a bushing 26 in which the lower end portion of an elongated supporting rod 21 has a drive fit. The upper end portion of the bushing 26 is enlarged and flanged, and rests on the top face of the sleeve to support a confined coiled spring 28. The upper portion of the sleeve 25 is also formed with a plate portion 29 from which project a pair of spaced arms 30 which are substantially coextensive with the arms 22 of the lower plate 2|. Above the plate 29 the outer end portion of the sleeve 25 is screw threaded as at 3| to engage the internal screw threads of a cap 32. The top of the cap is apertured, as at 33, to permit the passage therethrough of the rod or support 21.

The supporting device thus far described is applied toan end portion of the board 9 of the ironing table, in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The arms 30 of the upper plate member engage the upper surface of the board 9, whereas the arms 22 of the lower plate member extend below the board 9 and are spaced therefrom. The apparatus is clamped to the board by turning the clamping bolts 24 sufiiciently to cause the ends of the same to firmly press against the under surface of the board, whereby the board is clamped between the same and the upper arms 30. As thus arranged, the apparatus is secured tothe end portion of the board of the ironing table and the elements l9 and I9 extend therebelow in a diverging manner and rest on the floor or base support. As will appear from Fig. 1, the elongated rod 21 extends considerably above and over the board 9. Its lower portion is vertical, whereas the upper portion thereof is curved in an arc. Spaced supporting brackets 34 and 34' are mounted on the rod 21 and rotatably carry pulley wheels 35 and 35. The bracket 34' at the outer end of the rod, and for the pulley 35, is arranged for swivel movement. Portions of the elongated flexible wire or cable l8 are extended over the various pulleys 35 and 35' with the major portion of the cable being housed within the rod, which is tubular. The opposite end of the cable is secured to the free end portion of an operating lever 36, as at 31.

As will be observed from Fig. l, the other end portion of the lever 36 is pivotally secured to a lower portion of one of the elements l9, as at 38. The lever projects therefrom to a convenient position below an intermediate portion of the board 9, and an intermediate portion of the lever is confined between a face of the leg l9 and a spaced strap 39. The entire strap is spaced from the leg l9 so as to form an elongated slot 40. The lower portion of the strap is formed with a downwardly projecting shoulder 4| and an outwardly offset portion 42.

It will be observed that the flat iron I2 is depended from the elongated cable I8 which ulti-- mately extends to the free end portion of the lever 36. When the iron is in use, the pivotal lever 36 is free to locate or move in the slot 40 between the strap 39 and leg IS in the manner indicated away from the work or it may by broken lines in Figs. 1 and 4. The cable is of such a length that the iron may rest on the board 9 and be moved over the surface thereof in any direction in the usual manner for ironing or pressing purposes, and in the manipulation of the iron, as it is moved away from the rod 21, pull on the cable l8 will serve to move the lever 36 in its slot 40.

If the user is temporarily called away from the work, it is very easy to support the iron in an elevated position away from the table and work, and in a position where it is in no manner a hazard. This is accomplished by pressing down on the flattened pedal portion 43 of the lever 36, wherebyv a pull is imposed on the cable l8 and the iron is elevated from substantially the broken line showing in Fig. 1 to the full line position. To secure the iron in this elevated supported position, it is merely necessary to kick or move the lever 36 laterally outwardly so as to locate it within the ofiset 42 of the strap 29 and adjacent the shoulder M, as in Fig. 4.

When the operator thus elevates the fiat iron, it may be desirable 'at certain times to swing the supporting rod 2'! and iron laterally to a position free of and remote from the board 9. This may be desirable when the operator is changing or removing work on the table or when it is desirable to have the heated iron in a position so that it will not be struck or prove to be a hazard. When this movement is desired, and the iron is secured in elevated position as in Fig. 1, it is merely necessary to swivel or turn the supporting rod 21 which has secured thereto the bushing 26, and the same turn in the sleeve 25. Due to the pressure of the spring'28 on the top flange of the bushing 26 and the resulting frictional engagement of said flange of the bushing with the top of the sleeve, the rod will be frictionally maintained in any position of adjustment. The degree of friction desired or required can be regulated by tightening or loosening the cap 32 which controls the tension of the confined coiled spring 28. Upon the return of the operator, or when it is desired to lower and the lever 36 from its confinement between the shoulder M and offset 42 to re-align the lever with the slot 40 so that it can move therein.

From the foregoing description it will appear that the improved flat iron supporting apparatus is of simple and novel construction, and permits free and unrestricted use of the fiat iron in the usual manner. The device is foot operated and therefore does not necessitate the operator removing his hands from the work or iron, and by means of a simple foot manipulation, the iron may be secured in elevated suspended position be lowered for use. These manipulations of the iron do not require the operator to move or lift the iron by hand, leaving the operator's hands free for other duties, and obviously time, movements and labor on the part ofthe operator are saved. The sup; porting apparatus, which is compact, is readily attachable to or removable from any type of ironing table or board, as well as any standard iron, and is well adapted for the purposes set forth.

What is claimedas. the invention is:""

1. A flat iron supporting apparatus, comprising a stand, a curvedpost swively carried by said stand and extending above and over a table, ad-

.justable friction means incorporated in a lower portion of the post for retaining the post in a re-use the iron, it is only necessary to disengage desired swiveled position of adjustment, an elonmeans, a cable movably supported by the upper 1 gated fixed length cable movably supported by end portion of the post and depending therefrom, the upper end portion of the post and depending means on an intermediate portion of the post therefrom, the cable being movable to vary the engaging the cable eccentrically relative to the vertical disposition of its depending end relative axis of the post mounting stand and tending to to the table, and a flat iron carried by said end turn the post to a fixed position, the cable being of the cables movable with respect to the post to vary the ver- 2. Afiat iron supporting apparatus, comprising tical disposition of its depending end relative a stand, a curved post swively carried by said to the table, said cable being movable by means stand and extending above and over a table, located substantially at the one end of said cable, friction means for retaining the post in a desired and a flat iron carried by the other end of the swiveled position of adjustment, means for varycable.

ing the friction imposed by the last-mentioned FLORA ELL-INGER. 

